on Changes Around Us

Everything around us is undergoing a process of change. Our hair and nails keep growing. Leaves
die and new leaves take their place. While some changes in our environment are temporary and can
change back to their original positions, other changes are relatively permanent.

On this basis, changes around us can be classified into two broad categories:
1. Reversible changes
2. Irreversible changes
Reversible changes can be described as changes that can be reversed by reversing the action or
changing the conditions. Example: freezing of water, rolling of a chapati from dough etc.
Irreversible changes can be described as changes that cannot be reversed even after bringing
about changes in the conditions. Example: rusting of iron, cooking of vegetables etc.

Figure 1 Closing and opening of mimosa leaves represent a reversible

change
 Figure 2 Cooking of an egg into an omelette represents an irreversible
change
Substances and materials usually undergo two major types of changes:
 Physical change: This represents a change not in the chemical identity but the physical
form of a substance. When substances undergo a physical change, there is no formation of a
new substance and more or less these changes can be reversed. Example: boiling of water and
melting of ice represent reversible physical changes while growing of height is an irreversible
physical change.

Figure 3 Physical Change

 Chemical change: This represents a change in the chemical identity of a substance. These
are irreversible changes because the original substance gets converted into a new substance
and cannot be brought back. Example: cooking of rice, burning of matchstick etc.

Figure 4 Chemical Change

Difference between physical and chemical changes:
Physical Change Chemical Change

A change in matter While a chemical

which occurs without change is defined as
causing any change in the change in the
the composition of the chemical
matter is known as composition of
physical change matter

Usually, physical While chemical

changes are changes are often
reversible in nature irreversible

No new products are Chemical changes

formed when an often lead to
object undergoes formation of new
physical change products

These changes have Chemical changes

no impact on the have a direct impact
molecular composition on the chemical
of the substance bonds and molecular
 composition of a
substance

A few changes occur These changes

when cooling or involve absorption or
heating is done release of energy

There are other ways to bring about changes in substances:

 Mixing two substances together: A small amount of curd is added to warm milk which
leads to conversion of that milk into curd. This is an irreversible change.
When we add a salt to water it becomes salty but this is a reversible change.

 Expansion and Contraction: In order to make tools like an axe, the ring of its iron blade is
heated which allows it to expand i.e. become larger in size and then is allowed to cool down
which makes it contract again i.e. become smaller in size leading to a tight fit of the handle.